Massage belt



May'26,' 1931'.' J. G. DE REMER 1,807,308

MASSAGE BELT Filed June 22, 1928 14. Q 4 5; a BY M7 hjrromwzys.

Patented May 26, 1931 unrrrn STATES PATENT OFFICE JAY G. DE REMEB, OF GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGN'OR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO J. G. DE REMER. RESEARCH CORPORATION, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW J ERSEY, A

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MASSAGE BELT Application filed June 22,

The object of the invention is the improvement of the reciprocating belt or strap used on massaging machines whereby such straps are rendered safer in use and generally more satisfactory.

The accompanying drawings show the new belt in its preferred form and illustrates the principle of the improvement, Figure 1 being a perspective of the belt in its usual position of use; Figure 2 a plan view of the belt without its casing; Figure 3 an edge view of the latter, and Figure & an enlarged detail illustrating the engagement of the casing with the belt shoulder.

The belt comprises a main or body part 1 made of heavy canvas fabric or like strong material having enough stiffness not to become longitudinally creased or ropey from use, and two terminal parts 2 which may be made also of canvas but are perferably somewhat thicker and relatively narrow as compared to the body part. These terminal belt portions are sewed to the ends of the wider body part, or otherwise permanently attached thereto. The attachment is conveniently made by folding over the corners 3 of the wide part 1 and then sewing the end of the treminal part 2 on to the pointed end thus made, thus producing a junction with oblique shoulders 4, between the wide and narrow parts of the belt.

The free ends of the narrow members are each provided with attachment loops 5 of leather or the like sewed or riveted thereon and adapted to be slipped over the reciprocating hooks 6 of the massaging machine 7. Such machine may be the same as shown in an application, Serial No. 219,887, filed September 14, 1927, or any equivalent machine adapted to produce longitudinal reciprocation of the belt when connected thereto.

It will be understood that when the two ends of the strap are connected to the recipro- .cating hooks as shown, the middle part is placed around the users body who leans away from the machine so as to keep the reciprocating strap pressed firmly against him as it reciprocates.

The wide part, which thus bears on the body, is covered by a tubular flexible casing 1928. Serial No. 287,470.

8, knitted or woven of soft yarn thereby providing a contact surface which cannot injure or abrade the skin. Massage belts as heretofore employed, having the degree of stiffness requisite to keep them from wearing ropey in use are liable to cut the skin by their sawing action unless a garment is worn under it, which is not always convenient, and, even in such case, the garment is likely to be injured. The soft casing 8 is of the same length as the wide body part of the belt and is hemmed and provided with shir strings 9 at its opposite ends by which it is adapted to be constricted over the shoulders 4, thus holding it against displacement lengthwise of the belt. It is preferably knitted with longitudinal ribs requiring it to be somewhat stretched in order to be drawn over the hard body part, so that its natural contraction also tends to secure it against displacement in addition to which the natural softness of its texture produces adherence to the rougher weave of the canvas body, so that altogether there is no tendency for it to slip under ordinary conditions of use, and it thus constitutes a unit with the belt proper. At the same time the casing can be readily removed, washed and replaced whenever it becomes soiled from use, and furthermore, the narrowness of the terminal parts 2 reduces their tendency to flap under high speed operation of the belt and readily permits the crossing of relatively stiff body part provided with shoulders and a removable soft fabric casing there on having shir strings to constrict it upon said shoulders.

2. A reciprocating massage belt comprising in combination a flat body part formed of material stiff enough to retain its flatness ivithout creasing from strain use to use, narrow terminal portions at the ends of such body forming shoulders therewith, and an elastic fabric casing contracted over the shoulders at opposite ends of said fiat body and also upon the edges of said body between said shoulders, being thereby anchored against longitudinal displacement on said belt.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

JAY G. DE REMER. 

